Convinced 30 Days
by Collette Daniela
Summary: Stabler's creating a 30 day deadline to win over his best friend from her low self esteem and lying subconsciousness.
1. 30 Days Jammed

**Sadly, I don't own any of them. They are forever bound to Dick Wolf and his imagination. **

**The awkward and dorky ideas belong to me, KrazyKasey©**

Liv's key jammed in the door…as always. But it only took four tries this time to thrust it open. The heavy door stood in her way as she pushed down the handle with her hip. The dull silver door handle slid through the belt loop on her tight white slacks. "Damn it," she sighed. She had to drop 2 of the 5 bags she was carrying to untangle herself. She heard something crack. The eggs. And this is why she didn't buy real food. "Sucks for Elliot," she finished, and slid her packages in through the door. A flick of the light switch with her shoulder gained a groan from the man on her couch.

"Ehhhhyy," Elliot's voice droned on.

"That's what you get for sleeping on my couch, eating my food and living in a city with crappy apartment doors!" Olivia responded, frustrated but amused at the sight of her partner sprawled out on her couch. One sock on, one off. His sweat pants scrunched up on his leg that was draped backwards over the back of the furniture. His head barely fit on the arm rest, his thick wrist flopped over his eyes, shading the light that Liv had just turned on.

"Sorry my divorce inconveniences the city of New York and its surrounding muni…." He was gone again. Incoherent, drooling, and a total hunk.

She was surprised that he didn't force himself up to help with the grocery bags on the floor. She sighed in relief, thankful for a chance to clear her head, alone, without Elliot hovering over her and trying to be his normal cocky, smart-mouthed self.

_God he's a monster.. Fucking blue eyes. And blue bulging veins. And the muscles. Ohh the muscles. And does he have to sleep with a shirt off? Lord knows I'm too cheap to turn the heat on. The last time I had a love-hate relationship this bad was with my birth control in high school. If Kathy keeps teasing him like this, I'm going to have to splurge and buy a bigger couch for my living room. It's being used way too often as a guest room. Maybe this time it's for real though. Ha, yeah, because that bottle-blonde will let him waltz out of her life and run to me. _

She had been enthralled in her thoughts too long, and realized that she had already finished with the groceries and the dirty dishes.

"That's what I get for being infatuated with you," she mumbled.

"I can hear you.." Elliot whispered from around the corner.

"You're dreaming, El. Goodnight." And with a flick of a switch, the light was out again.

"It's morning, Olivia," he slowly enunciated each syllable of her name. He was wide awake now. And he had a plan to devise. He flipped open his phone and reread his emails.

Dear Mr. Stabler,

Your apartment will be ready for move in on the 16th. Please reply to this message with your intent to move in and a $400 deposit by the first of May. Please contact …..blah…blah….blah….The rest didn't matter. It was the first two sentences that his eyes were fixed on. He had only been on Liv's couch for four nights. Two of which, were technically spent at work. He didn't want to tell her that it would be almost a whole other month before he would be out of her hair. But he knew that's just what he would say._ 'I can really stay in the cribs a few nights a week, I swear. No, Liv, it's no problem at all. And actually, my sister invited me over for a week, so really, it'll be like I'm not here at all.' _He fantasized the response he knew he would get. _'No, El. You're staying here. End of story. Just buy and cook your own damn food._' A smirk played on his lips as he put away his phone for the night. He heard the water in the bathroom shut off and a few doors open and close. Liv was in her room now. He pulled himself up and into the kitchen for a drink. Thank the lord, she had bought more beer. He plopped himself onto the closest counter and leaned against the cupboards for relief. Almost drifting back to sleep, he stretched his long legs across the gap and onto the counter across the way. The clock on the microwave read 4:45. _Goodbye alcohol, hello sex crimes..._ He stuck the remains in the fridge, even though he knew it would be thrown out by his new roommate before he would have a chance to finish it.

He hopped in the shower and stood with the hot water spraying at the nape of his neck. _Why'd she even come home tonight? What happened with her and Fin's case from this evening? _He heard that their female suspect had been particularly feisty. Liv responded to the perp's smart-assed-ness as if it were a late birthday present sent from the heavens. They had a nice match of "who can be more sarcastic" before El had left work for the night. He chuckled at the memory of Liv accusing Miss Stephanie of hitting on her partner, offering to shove her panties down her throat for a nice side show preview.

Elliot didn't know if it was his sudsy hands or the thought of his best friend that was arousing him. Knowing full well that Liv would refuse to sleep for more than a few minutes, and would be craving a hot shower, he flipped the knob to the other direction, washing and freezing away his lustful thoughts. _She doesn't want it, El. One month, and move on. One month. Then move out. Move on. This is it. The last big hurrah of excuses to stay here. Either make her want it, make her see that she wants it, or leave it alone, and move on._


	2. 29 Days Stress

**Sadly, I don't own any of them. They are forever bound to Dick Wolf and his imagination. **

**The awkward and dorky ideas belong to me, KrazyKasey©**

Olivia pulled the trigger. And a second. The shots echoed and rang out. Her legs twitched and her throat closed tight. Forcing herself to breathe in and out, like a good ol' girl, she blinked away the tears, dropped her arms and ran to the scene.

"You'll have your day, bitch! You watch your back, your mother's back, and your kids' backs until the day I die!"

"Mother's dead ass-hole," was Olivia's response. Her voice was strong. Not weak. She'd done it enough times, but she hated pulling the trigger on somebody. She never froze. She just didn't want to be the cause of any more violence in this god-damned city.

"I thought you aimed to kill, Benson," Elliot nudged her side, gaining her attention and receiving a forced chuckle. "You ok, Liv?"

"Wish I had had a reason to kill the bastard instead of injuring him in his useless left leg, but yeah I'm ok, Elliot."

Soon the appropriate forms that were filled out and in Cragen's hands.

"Go home."

"Uhmm, Captain, the sun's still up. This a bad April Fools joke? Gotta tell you, cap, I think you're aging a bit too much under this job, April first was like two weeks ago."

"Go home. I have what I need. You had a good long day and Fin's already given this guy what for. A straight out confession and Casey's having him arraigned."

"Thanks, Don," Olivia replied quietly, exhausted and grateful, ignoring the fact that she called her superior by his first name.

"Take Stabler home too!" He threw out, as his favorite detective turned away.

"Aye, aye, cap'n," She quipped.

"You," Liv pointed to her partner, "Drive me home. We're done for the day."

Elliot didn't hesitate, just snatched his jacket and threw a polite wave at the crew without making any real eye contact. His mind was on different things.

Olivia tossed aside the plates, deciding to eat the infamous Chinese food out of its carton.

"What movie are you subjecting me to tonight?"

"Eh. I figured we could watch one you liked for once. You know, as my payment for room and board," Elliot looked at her with a smirk.

"There's a movie that I actually like? Huh. Who would have known? I guess you would know if any one would.. So what movie? How did you know what movies I like? I never watch movies? I'm surprised I-"

"Liv. What are you doing?"

"What am I doing?"

"Yeah, you're rambling. Care to explain why?"

"Not at all," She retorted, in a funny, snooty accent. "But thank you good gentlemen." She couldn't hold back her own laughter. She was giddy, officially head over heels, drunken by her brain's own chemicals and the smell wafting off of Elliot, who seemed to be sitting closer than he had been before.

Elliot let out a light chuckle and dished out his supper as the movie started.

"Gone With the Wind? Really, Elliot? Gone with the-fucking, piss-in-the wind? Hmm. Not a bad choice. Didn't know I owned it."

"You don't, I rented it a few years back…"

"And… you never returned it?"

"Right you are, detective!" He said with a wink.

Liv felt it again. The spasm in her stomach, a nervous, goofy, nauseas feeling that had been increasing over the last eight years. Unfortunately for her, the butterflies were growing exponentially, and seeing as how there were a good amount nestling in her stomach on the day she met Mr. Elliot-gorgeous blue-eyed- Stabler, she was about to explode now. Sure, she was used to being close to him. They work together day and night, spent nights sleeping in the squad car together, sharing food and copious amounts of caffeine, pretending to only acquire the self-control of teenagers to trick the perps, but lately, something was different.

Scarlett's sisters were already looking down on her for her flirtatious actions by the time that the detectives had stopped picking at their food. A bowl of un-touched popcorn sat between them, their legs each crossed and rested on the coffee table. Elliot turned his foot a quarter of an inch so it finally came in contact with Livs'. She played it off as nothing uncommon, but shifted herself ever so slightly so she could better see the expression pressing on Elliot's face.

She, awkwardly, leaned the opposite way to grab a case file off of the floor. She flipped it open and skimmed through it, not paying any attention to the words on the page, just the shape of the letters and paragraphs as she tried to take her mind off of the days' events. A yawn escaped and the file slid out of her hands.

"Here. Let me take that," Elliot glided the folder out of her reach. Olivia turned to face him. She was speechless. Tired and afraid to let something slip like she had last night. There were only so many comments that she could cover up before he would start asking real questions.

"Turn around," he commanded.

"What?"

"Turn around.."

"Why?"

"Because I asked you to," Elliot stated, matter-of-factly.

"What are you going to do to me?"

"Cut off all of your hair with Dickie's school scissors, Liv."

"What?" Apparently the joke hadn't traveled well.

"Just turn around."

She obliged. Too tired to argue, her curiosity and her patience cooperated.

She felt his strong, soft hands on her shoulders, rubbing in circles. She let out a moan-filled sigh. _That feels so fucking good_, she thought.

"You say something?"

"Umm no, but I was thinking how amazing that feels, El." It cheered him up to hear the word El instead of Elliot. It had been a few days since she called him El, for no reason that he could decipher.

Liv drowned the noise of the movie out as her partner's hands on worked on the small of her back.

"Ohhhhh my god." It was almost an inaudible mumble coming from her closed lips. And then she heard his cocky smile spreading across his face. For once, she didn't care. He deserved to be proud. This was one hell of a back rub.

His hands played along her lower back, outside of her cotton-stretch tee. He moved down just a tad further to the top her hips, where no clothes covered her tan skin. She felt his warm hands melt into her and relieve the stress that she had let pile up. He curved his arms around just slightly to her stomach, but quickly retrieved them and drew them back up to her shoulders. His hands caressed the top of her shoulders down to her elbows, then from her elbows to her wrists. He spun her around to face him and saw her head hanging down, and he knew from the familiar look that she was on the brink of sleep, just trying to hang on to consciousness. He rubbed each muscle in each hand before sliding an almost limp arm around his shoulder. He scooped her up too quickly to keep her asleep and he heard a soft giggle erupt from her bowed head.

"Something funny, Benson?"

"That was fun, being lifted up into the air like that. What are you doing to me? I mean with me?" She had done it again. But she'd wait till the morning to care about her embarrassing comments. _I guess it's not too much of a secret anymore. After all, he is a detective, dumbass._ It was no secret that there was some real thick chemistry between them. And the recent flirting left no one curious. That didn't stop Olivia from trying to hide how deep those feelings actually ran through her body.

"You're going to your bedroom."

"You're not."

"No, Liv, I'll be reclaiming my respective place on the couch as soon as I get you settled in. Who knew you could fall asleep so fast?

With one hand he clung on to his partner, now on her feet, but Elliot still had his hand around her waist. With his other hand he pulled down the covers on the twin sized bed in her cluttered room. He sat her down on it and rummaged for her pillow as she settled into the sheets.

"Need anything?"

The word 'you' slipped out of her mouth.

"What," Elliot breathed, and added in a silent whisper, "baby?"

"I said no. Thanks. Night, El."

Elliot's reply was too quiet to be heard, but Olivia drifted off to sleep with his voice in her head.

'Baby. Ohh baby please. Yes. Please. No, no, no, my other ear now. Yeah. Ohh baby you're so amazing. You're so gentle.' Elliot had his hand grazing up and down the inside of Liv's left thigh. Her ear lobe lodged in his mouth, his teeth almost cutting into her skin, and his tongue teasing the nerve endings. His hot breath radiated through his throat, up her ear and down her neck, sending chills and small convulsions throughout her body.

Anddd then She woke up from her dream.

"Too fucking good to be true," she mumbled into her pillow. It was only 3 AM, and she had already torn apart the sheets and ripped the pillow from its silky lining.

Stumbling into the kitchen, she saw a glow coming from the living room.

"You awake, El?"

"Yeah, just reviewing that case from last week with the 6-yr old boy. What are you doing up?"

"Uhh, couldn't sleep, I guess," she lied. Sleep was her long awaited friend at the moment, and she dreaded the thought of another day running solely on coffee, but she couldn't bear to dream of her partner, who was bunking in the next room. Not tonight. Not with the feel of his hands fresh on her skin.

"You're a bad liar, baby."

_Baby? _The word stung both of their tired brains, looking for an explanation.


	3. 28 Days Truth or Dare

**Sadly, I don't own any of them. They are forever bound to Dick Wolf and his imagination. **

**The awkward and dorky ideas belong to me, KrazyKasey©**

"**Ok. Well then, I'm going to shower"**

"**Ohh?"**

"**Umm. Yeah. Is that a problem? You need in there?"**

"**Yeah just let me grab some stuff. Wait, why are you going to shower at 3 in the morning, Liv?"**

"**Well….because I can. Get what you need, and uhh let me know when the coast is clear."**

**Elliot nervously paced in the bathroom pretending to gather some of his shit and tidy up. Unfortunately, there was nothing he needed, so he tried to calm himself down with this deep-breathing crap Kathy had tried to teach him until he realized that he wasn't really nervous in the first place. **

"**Liv. I'm sorry…it just slipped out, and I was kind of hoping that it wouldn't bother you…" Elliot's voice trailed off as he waited for Liv to cut in. **

"**Hoping what wouldn't bother me?" She answered, playing innocent like nothing had happened. The only way to kill these feelings of hers was to go on pretending everything was normal and get Elliot out of her head before the venom started to spread. **

"**You gonna make me spell it out?"**

**He was met with silence. **

"**I'm sorry that I called you 'babe'."**

"'**Babe'? You didn't call me 'babe' El."**

"**I-"**

"**You called me 'baby', El," She stated as the edges of her lips curved up, flirtatiously.**

**Elliot pondered in her kitchen, currently only lit by the open refrigerator door. **_**What the? That's still there?**_

**He grabbed yesterday morning's beer, let the door shut softly, turned on his heel and spoke quietly, "Yeah, I did. So, it sounds like you've got yourself a preference… Which **_**do**_** you prefer? 'Babe' or 'baby'?"**

"**Uhh," Liv stuttered, in awe of his bluntness. **

"**Kidding…babe." Elliot stifled a chuckle and had a shit-eating grin on his face, but he still held his breath in anticipation.**

**  
"Ohkay see! That. What is that?"**

"**I'm sorry! Just…come here, come sit down."**

**Olivia had already changed into her robe. Her cool leather couch gave her chills on her legs as Elliot pulled her next to him on the seat. Those chills met the ones sent from Elliot's touch on her arm, causing her eyebrows to arch and making her suppress a shiver. **

_**Uhmm. What's going on. Why isn't he saying anything? Say something damn it!**_

**Olivia's thoughts were interrupted at the perfect moment. To her surprise, it was her own voice that tore into the silence.**

"**Just tell me what's on your mind. I'm going insane here. What happened to best friends telling each other everything, no secrets…?"**

**Elliot sighed and brushed the palm of his finger tips over the back of Olivia's dry hand, sending sparks of electricity through both of them. **

**Liv didn't move away.**

"**You and I both know, please don't hit me, that no matter what comes out of my mouth, there's a fifty/fifty chance that you'll pull away from me and I can't have that, not right now!"**

"**Elliot, I won't pull away from you! When have I ever done that?" Her hand was still resting under his.**

"**Ugh," Elliot sighed. "Yeah you do, Liv. Ever keep track of how often we fight? And sometimes it doesn't blow over so easily. When is the last time we really talked about you? All that we ever have time for is work and shit. The kids hate me. Kathy hates me. I can't take much more. You're the most important person in my life, my best friend, and I want you to know that I'm scared of losing you!"**

**After a moment of silence, Liv replied. "Why?"**

"**Like you said, we're best friends, we tell each other everything. There are no secrets. Only, there are. And both of us are to blame. Look, if you're really up for the night, can't we just spend some time talking? I'll even rub your back again if you want me to."**

"**Ha, Elliot, if you're rubbing my back, the only thing you'll hear coming from my mouth is moans." **

"**Yeah? That good, huh?"**

"**You rub my back so I can rub your ego, Stabler?"**

**There was a short pause.**

"**Truth or dare?"**

"**What?" Olivia spurted out, shocked, but chuckling.**

"**You heard me! Truth or dare! Choose one woman!"**

**Both adults let out laughs at the sudden silliness of their conversation.**

"**Okay. Dare."**

"**Dare? Really? Hmm…I dare you," Elliot pondered intently with his hand over his mouth, "Benson, I dare you to tell me one thing that is on your mind right now."**

"**You are such a man. And a typical cheater! Try again."**

"**Fine," Elliot pouted. "I dare you to rub **_**my **_**back." And as quickly as he had said it, he turned to face away from Olivia.**

**She froze. She shook. She tried to breathe. **_**Just fucking rub his back Liv! God damn it you're his friend. There is nothing going on. It's just a silly game. Now rub his back before he starts asking more questions.**_

**Her cold, trembling hands met his warm, bare back with simple grace that Olivia doubted she had. She dove right in and pressed through his thick muscle, evening out his skin. Afraid to linger at all, she swiped her thumbs in quick, deep circles over his skin. Once she had evened out all of the kinks and knots in his shoulders, she moved down to his middle back. She noticed cluster of bruises and small cuts along the left side of his ribs. She had no reason to ask him the cause of the injuries; she remembered too well the image of a nasty perp, a 50 year old, but strong as hell, man throwing Elliot into a concrete wall in an alley. She traced the cuts and bruises ever so lightly. She traced them down into his lower back and rubbed right above his hips. She kneaded through the skin and muscle and when she was done, she lightly scratched his back in circles, dragging her hands back up to his neck. After she focused on his neck, she gently rubbed her fingers through his hair. Unaware of why she was doing this, Liv argued with herself. All that she could focus on was each molecule of his skin. Each hair, each freckle, each scar. She had been lost in her thoughts too long and realized that she must have been nearly fondling her partner for at least ten minutes.**

**She backed away and cleared her throat.**

"**Sorry, I uhh, I let my mind wander off I-"**

"**Why'd you stop?"**

"**What?"**

"**I mean, you don't have to keep going, it's just, that was like… WOW."**

**As Liv's heart jumped, she decided to take a chance and have some fun. "Truth or dare? Choose one."**

"**Truth," Elliot stated without hesitation. **

"**What's on your mind, El?"**

"**Pass."**

"**You can't pass!"**

"**Skip, pass, lose a turn, take your pick," Elliot called out smugly.**

"**Elliot!" Olivia laughed at her partner. "Come on, tell me!"**

"**I'm thinking about…the back rub you just gave me."**

"**What about it?"**

"**It felt really good. Where'd you learn to do that? Never thought I'd say this Benson, but your hands on my body are like heaven!" Elliot chuckled.**

"**Wow. Ohkay. So…" There was silence after her words. Her eyes met Elliot's and they breathed in sync for a moment before Olivia grew nervous. "Truth." **

**Elliot leaned in so his face was only inches away from hers. He could feel her wavering breath on his skin, just barely. As he teased Olivia, her heart raced and he whispered, "You nervous, Liv?" Elliot beamed a smile, straightening his posture, leaning back and said, "You never told me, 'babe' or 'baby'?**

"**Baby."**


	4. 27 Days All or Nothing

**Sadly, I don't own any of them. They are forever bound to Dick Wolf and his imagination. **

**The awkward and dorky ideas belong to me Collette Daniela, (Formerly KrazyKasey)©**

"Baby…good to know," Elliot said with a wink.

"El, what's going on? Someone spike your drink with testosterone?"

"I'm sorry, it's just that I care for you so much. I hate having to be Benson and Stabler all the time. I want to be Liv and El. Just us. No perps, no guns, no IAB. God, could you imagine life without IAB?"

"If only. Ohkay. So, being just Liv and El. What all does this entail?

_Here it goes. Make it or break it Liv. And I'm pretty sure you just broke it. Maybe things will go back to normal around here at least._

_K Stabler, you set it up, you played it out, now go in and get it. You know damn well everything that she wants and needs. It's Olivia for Christ's sake. You know her better than she knows herself. Prove it to her and in five minutes, they'll be no more curiosity in either one of our minds. Go._

As Elliot took his breath to talk, Liv jumped in.

"It's ohkay, I'm not mad or anything, I just want to know where all of this back-rub and 'baby' stuff is coming from." Like she hadn't already planned out exactly what she wanted to hear in her head…

"It's just a nick-name, we're like family aren't we?" _He had backed down._ "Like my sister or my weird aunt or my mother."

"You call your mother 'baby'?"

"Geez, Liv will you cut me some slack, I-"

Her lips touched his cheeked. She moved fast, so fast that Elliot missed it all in a single blink. The corner of her bottom lip just barely touched the spot where the corner of Elliot's lip faded from red to his pale colored skin. As both of them held their breath, she dragged her lips across Elliot's lips, refusing to kiss him, but continued on up the other side of his face, up to his ear. She whispered. Elliot nearly had a heart attack before any sound even poured out of her lips. "Can you give me a hint as to what you want right now, El?"

Elliot still couldn't breathe. Or think for that matter. _Fuck! Wasn't I the one who planned out a month of convincing Liv to give us a try? What the hell is she doing? _He let out a short painful breath.

"Please," he whispered. "Tell me what you're doing." He snaked a hand down her arm until he met her hand, and intertwined her fingers in his.

"Just making last night's dream a reality," Olivia whispered into his ear. Elliot's eyes were frozen open wide, his lungs stilled, the hair on the back of his neck stood up on end, and he was harder than he had been in so long.

"You had a dream, Liv?" He sounded like he had just received the sweetest present he had ever gotten.

Neither one of them moved. Olivia regretted her little game more with every passing second. And Elliot was almost shaking with excitement.

"What about Liv?"

… … …

"What was it about, baby?"

"I dreamt that I walked in my apartment. And the hallway leading to my bedroom was lined with white flower petals. The lights are off in the bedroom, but there are tons of lit candles. And you're wearing a really nice suit, like the one you wore late last week, and you have a flower in your hand for me…"

"Wow, you like romantic stuff like that, Liv?"

"Don't tell anyone," she said, "it's a secret." She winked. "Let me finish. So you've fallen asleep on my bed, in a perfect, straight line. I went and lay down next to you. And I nibble…your…ear…for a bit," she said, sucking on his lobe between each word. Elliot was dying under her spell. "And I do some other stuff to wake you up." She breathed in his ear and kissed his neck with hot lips. "You're still really groggy, like half asleep, and don't know what's going on. I uhh slide off your pants real slow and gentle like and by then you're fully awake, see. But you decide you want to let me have my fun."

"Fuck." Elliot's phone rang. He didn't know the number so ignored it. Liv had already slid off of him and the couch, walking the balcony.

"Hey," El grabbed her hand from behind and snaked one arm around her waist and the other down onto her thigh, forcing himself to caress her as slow as he could. Her knees shook. Her heart raced. She was pissed; she was embarrassed, disappointed in herself for caving in, but beyond all, she was soaked.

And Elliot saw it coming from a mile a way. He had his left hand wrapped around her waist, and with it, grabbed her right hand and spun her around. He raised his right hand so it landed on the middle of her back.

He didn't even kiss her, he just bit her lip. She ran her tongue across his upper lip, then along the inside of his teeth when he allowed her in his mouth.

**A/N Thanks for all of the reviews! You are awesome! Let me know where you want this to go!**


	5. 26 Days Yield

A/N Sorry it's taken me so long to update. Busy schedule and major writer's block! So PLEASE let me know where you want this to go!

Sadly, I don't own any of them. They are forever bound to Dick Wolf and his imagination.

The awkward and dorky ideas belong to me Collette Daniela, (Formerly KrazyKasey)

"STOP. Liv! I said stop! Ow, what the- Olivia!"

Elliot got smacked in the face as he was trying to pull his partner off of a perp.

"Get off of me, El."

"Olivia!"

"Where the hell is he, Samuels?!"

"OLIVIA, Calm the fuck down. Go! Now."

Liv shot Elliot a stone cold look as she spat, "Get the hell off of me, you bastard."

Elliot followed his partner out of the interrogation room and gestured for Fin to come in and take over.

He spoke out, "Well that was productive!"

When Olivia sped up and headed out of the squad room he chased after her. It was just past midnight. The halls were empty. Everyone was at home sleeping or with their families.

_That's where we ought to be._ Elliot thought.

Him and Liv and gotten interrupted by Fin's phone call just a few hours before.

*****He didn't even kiss her, he just bit her lip. She ran her tongue across his upper lip, then along the inside of his teeth when he allowed her in his mouth. Olivia leaned into him until she backed him into a corner of her small dining room. Her strength outdid his and he could no longer breathe. Her action got the best of Elliot and she felt him grow harder, pressed up against her thin, black, cotton shirt. Her phone rang and startled her so much her heart jumped and she spun around and ran to the device. She felt like she had just been caught cheating on a test.

"Benson. What? Where? WHAT? The-. I'm on my way," She shouted, grabbing her badge and gun, gesturing to Elliot. "I'll get El."

"What the hell was that?" Elliot asked, already at the door, ready to go, reading the worry on Olivia's face.

"Cragen. He's been taken hostage."*****

"Well, why don't you go be superman and do it yourself then?" Liv spun around and threw the words in Elliot's face. She looked like she was in so much pain. Her mouth twisted, her eyes were swollen and hands were clenched so hard in fists that she would have temporary scars from her finger nails.

"That's not what I meant, baby"

"Don't you _dare_ call me 'baby'!"

"Liv, I-" but she was gone.

After a moment of frustration and heartache Elliot turned and headed back to the interrogation room to continue with the perp who had information about where his Captain was being held.

Fin was walking into the bullpen from the interrogation room as Elliot was walking in from the hallway.

"What happened?"

"He spilled. Corner of 4th and main. Get Liv, meet you there."

Elliot spun and raced down the hall to find his partner. "Olivia!" When she didn't answer he knew what to say, "Liv, we got a lead on Cragen," and before the words were out of his mouth he saw her emerging from a doorway and then she chased down the hall, after him, they took the stairs when the elevator didn't open immediately. The short car ride was a hurried slur of words coming from Elliot about the perp. Olivia didn't listen, but grunted inaudible agreements whenever Elliot paused. All she could think about was her captain. Her precious, dear captain meant the world to her. He wasn't family. He wasn't a friend. But he was Cragen, always looking out for Olivia and deep down he loved her to death. He would take a bullet for Liv, and would dish out as many as he needed to to keep her safe. _It's not the same. It's not the same thing dumbass. It was just a dream and you know it. Cragen's been on this longer than anyone here. He's the Captain for a reason. He wouldn't screw the case up. _But that's really what Olivia was afraid of, that he would sacrifice himself for others. She knew that he wouldn't sacrifice himself unless it would save someone else, but she didn't know the situation. Liv was suppressing flash backs to dreams she had shortly after she joined the unit. All of them but one ended in Cragen's death.

"You coming, Olivia?" Elliot asked, using her full name with an irritated voice, making sure not to upset her by being too friendly…

Liv snapped out of her thoughts and out of the car.

"Stabler, Benson, we got something,' a tech called out to them.

Still in sync with each other, but silently, the two walked to meet O'halloran, and Olivia snatched the paper from his hand. Elliot read it aloud, "Vodka, Gin, Campari Beer, you won't solve this riddle, it's too damn clear."

"What the hell kind of lame riddle is that?" Olivia turned to Elliot.

After 10 hours of researching alcoholic drinks and trying to decode a ridiculous riddle, Olivia pushed out of her chair to head up the cribs.

"Wake me in an hour."

Elliot found Olivia unconscious on the bunk in the far corner of the room after only 20 minutes. She had curled her long feminine body into a ball. She was perfect. Her crystal clear face was smoothed into relaxation, but the muscles on her arms were working over time to protect her body. Her shirt was slightly pulled up on the side and Elliot pulled it down. Olivia didn't move. He kissed her on the forehead- still nothing from her. Next, his lips met her cheek- no movement. He brushed his lips across hers, forcing himself not to thrust himself on her. He didn't move; he just stood bent over with his lips hovering over hers, his lips only touching the very center of hers. He sighed though his nose and finally pushed the last centimeter and kissed her on the lips, as if he were caressing her very soul with every supple cell in his body. As he tasted her strawberry flavored chapstick, he felt her pushing her lips back against him. Liv's arms drew up to his neck and she pulled her down on top of him. Elliot was shocked. He couldn't breathe; he didn't even remember what breathing was. One of her hands grabbed the back of his head and grabbed his thin hair. She initiated the dance of their tongues, slipping hers around his lips, into his mouth and behind his front teeth.

"Liv" Elliot attempted to mumble against his partners lips.

"Babe?" Olivia burbled.

She felt a wide smile spread on Elliot's face. "I love you, baby," he spoke delicately.


	6. 25 Days Lost and Found

**Sorry, it's obviously been like months… but here we go!**

**Sadly, I don't own any of them. They are forever bound to Dick Wolf and his imagination. **

**The awkward and dorky ideas belong to me Collette Daniela©**

"What the hell."

"What the fucking hell."

"You won't solve this riddle, it's too damn clear." Elliot said. "So what? He's got him in a bar? Liqour store? He using his alcoholism against him?"

"Elliot. When I came home late last week, Cragen had taken me to Bubble World. That girly, fritzy bar. Said I needed to calm down after he sent you home because I almost broke your nose…"

"With your fist, yeah I remember." _Guess that was all sexual tension huh? After all, I could only stay at her place so long before we're both in agony. But not anymore. Unless she never returns the "I love you"._

"Well, on our way out there was this guy who followed us for a few blocks, but he eventually turned a corner so we thought nothing of it. What if he heard us talking?

What if he heard what Cragen…"

She shot out of her seat, too rushed to snatch her coat. Elliot ran right past it as he caught up to her as the elevator door opened. They entered in sync and he grabbed hold of her hand. Forcefully but with grace. Olivia had a flashback to her first high school date. _Stupid kid tried to hold my hand. He should have been more worried about holding his pants up. Doofus._

Elliot interrupted her thoughts, ignoring their hands like he'd done it a hundred times before. "What did Cragen say, Liv?"

"He brought up the case again, said he had just figured out the riddle written on the little boy's bedroom wall."

"What belongs to you but others use it more than you do? What did Cragen figure out?"

"He didn't tell me. And I know why. He knew it was him next. Why didn't he tell us?"

"Maybe him being taken will lead us to the boy."

"I know where that boy's at. It's been a week, what are the chances he's still alive?"

Elliot ignored her question. "Son of a bitch wanted to get caught all along. Liv where are we going?"

"Pub on 22nd. Captain's Lounge. It was closed a few weeks ago for invalid licenses. The little boy was just bait. He wrote the riddle for Cragen to figure out. He just wants Cragen."

They pulled up to the shut down bar and tried a few times to kick in the barred door. Elliot watched as Oliva slid off her high heels and smashed the entire window pane with it. Elliot lifted her over and through the broken window, trying not to cut her. Liv maneuvered the door open and Elliot ducked in. Guns out, they called for anyone, Cragen, the boy, anyone at all.

"Clear."

"Clear. Fuck." Olivia was pissed.

"Liv, stairs!"

They dropped down the stairs into a musty cellar. Elliot heard pounding and flashed around, aiming at the wall.

"It's a door, Elliot help me."

All that they had to break was padlock was Olivia's heel. It snapped off this time, but it opened the door and revealed a dead body, a paled, shivering boy, and the Captain.

In the hospital, while he was getting checked out, Cragen was explaining that he carries a second gun, a pistol. When the perp, Abner, frisked him, he only found Cragen's "work" gun.

"As soon as it was safe, which by that time we were in the locked room, I pulled the pistol on him. After he said he wouldn't let the boy go he lunged at me and I shot him. We couldn't have lasted much longer in there," the Captain explained. He turned to Olivia, who by then had on Elliot's coat, one shoe, and a look in her eyes that he had never seen in her before. "Liv."

She looked up and whispered, "Yeah?"

He nodded his head at her. She had tears in her eyes from the story but smiled back at him.

"You almost done, El?"

"Just signing the last form. And done. You ready? You want to grab a bite or just head home?" He asked as they both left their signed DD5 forms in the paper tray.

"Please, home. I just want to go home."

It was silent in the car. Dead silence. Even the cabs and honking and sirens seemed to be quite for Olivia and her headache.

The doors slammed shut. She followed him up to her own apartment. He unlocked do the door and let her slide in. He followed her straight into her bedroom, closed the blinds and straightened up her bed. He watched her pull her shirt over her head from behind. His heart was racing too hard. He found his way around the bed and out the door and into the bathroom. He locked the door and changed into his NYPD issued sweatpants. He brushed his teeth and took a drink of room temperature water. He hurt. _Liv. Benson. Olivia. Please, God. Please. _He didn't want to go back out there. He'd wanted to see her like that so many times; he had in so many dreams. He had, too many times while he was wide awake. _Kathy. I loved you. For a year. I never got to date you. I never got to fall in love with you. It happened too fast. I never ever was with anyone but you. Not before you, not during us. I'm not coming back home. I'm homeless. I'm stuck and I'm homeless. I'm putting down my deposit on my new apartment in the morning, before Liv wakes up. _

Olivia's knock startled his thoughts. He opened the door, looked at her tear-stained face and puffy eyes. He held her arms down at her side and just looked at her. Loved her. Breathed her in. He lifted her up in the most gentle embrace. They took a deep breath at the same time, and they both felt it. There was a shift. A good shift, a casual shift. He let her go and headed to the living room. She leaned against the door frame, wondering how much a person could love without exploding. She checked her watch. 12:01 AM.


	7. 24 Days 12

**Sadly, I don't own any of them. They are forever bound to Dick Wolf and his imagination. **

**The awkward and dorky ideas belong to me Collette Daniela©**

"Elliot, are you joking?" She asked in too serious of a tone.

"What?"

"Are you lying?"

"No, baby what are you talking about?"

"That. Still calling me baby. Elliot, why? You love me?" She sounded accusatory until she said, "El? Say it again… and I'll believe you".

Knowing exactly what she needed to soothe her doubts, he stood up, smoothly spun his partner around and dipped her. They felt each other's hearts racing. He ran his hand under her chin and lifted her face up to look in her eyes. She stared back into the mini oceans in his. "Elliot." But she was silent for so after long that Elliot separated his lips to speak. And so did Olivia. In one breathe, and at exactly the same moment, they both whispered "I love you."

Elliot's heart stopped. _Ohh my God. Mother of Mary, ohh my God. She said it. _

It was beginning to hurt both of them to stand in this position, Olivia leaning so far back in his strong, majestic, warm arms. Arms that were wrapped around her, protecting her. She leaned up and kiss him. Just a peck. She didn't move away after. They slowly stood up, making sure to stay just as close to each other. She draped her arms around his neck as he lifted her up just high enough to come in gentle, then deep and passionate contact with her lips. She obliged, sliding her tongue along his bottom lip, letting him in. This was different than last time. This was slow, this was sweet, and they had never felt more nervous, but never more at ease. His hands travelled down to the hem of her pj top and he tugged at it. At the same time, Olivia's hands moved to his chest, then down his arms and she laid her hands over his. They broke the kiss to catch their breath, but they never lost eye contact. Olivia was scared shitless. She couldn't decide which she wanted more, to maul Elliot's mouth until it was the morning, or to run for the door.

"Olivia, you'll always be my best friend, before anything else. I love you."

She blinked. She closed her eyes, smiled, and took a deep breath.

"Come on, it's late, let's get you to bed."

She turned with a wild look in her eye and a dangerous smirk on her face. "Not without you."

Elliot froze. He wanted it so bad. He wanted her so incredibly bad. His hands were still attached to her hips, he could feel her shaking. _She can probably feel me shaking too._

"Why don't we just lay down for a bit? Okay?

Elliot followed Olivia to her bedroom with his hands still at her waist. Silently they lay down, now facing each other. She peppered his jaw line, ears, and neck with kisses.

Still in shock Elliot quipped, "You love me, Benson."

"Since New Years Eve 1999, Stabler," She whispered in his ear, with hot breath. She resumed nibbling his ear lobe as her hands lay on his neck.

"Ohh my God, baby-"

She cut him off. "I lied, Elliot," Moving back to look at him. "I think I like 'babe' just as much as 'baby'. Because if it's coming out of your mouth, I'll take anything." Elliot gazed the flawless smile beaming from her face.

Before she started work on his ear again, Elliot took the chance to stop her. "Baby. Babe." He took a deep breath and sighed, let's….not do this tonight. Let's get some sleep, I want to hold you all night long honey." Scared that she was feeling rejected, he leaned down and let his lips caress hers. He lingered around her lips afterwards, eyes still closed, heart still pounding. Olivia rolled out from under him, grabbed the lamp and shut of the lights. She rolled right back to her former position and whispered, "Only if you kiss me goodnight."

Here came another passionate, perfect, heated kiss. In seconds they were wrapped around each other on her twin size bed. Elliot knew he just said he didn't want to do this tonight, but he ran his hands under the back of her shirt anyways, caressing her and bringing her closer to him. She grasped at the back of his back, scraping her nails along his bones. It drove him crazy; he growled her name and bit at her bottom lip, gaining moans from both of them.

A moment passed. Time just stopped. Another moment passed. She couldn't breathe. Elliot rolled away from her only long enough to flash on the lights.

"Ohh my God. Liv!" He shouted. She was seizing. "Olivia, honey." He held her head knowing there was nothing he could do for her. He looked around hoping her cell was in her room. After a few moments he found it and let go of her with one hand to make the call.

"Detective? You can come in now."

Elliot stopped biting his nails and rushed into her hospital room. _Ohh lord. What happened to her? _She was awake but barely coherent. _Liv. _Tears rolled down his cheek. He turned to the nurse.

"What happened?"

"She had what's called a partial seizure. We found traces of an anti-seizure drug in her system called Lamotrigine. She must have stopped taking it very recently. Do you know anything about that?"

Elliot was fuming. He felt his face redden. His fists so tight he almost drew blood. He chocked on his tears. "No."

"Well, we'll be by when she's more alert, but she's going to be fine detective. Right now she's just drowsy from a sedative we gave her."

The nurse left.

"Olivia." He dropped to his knees. He lowered his head and started sobbing. "You're my partner." He stated obviously, not knowing Olivia was not almost fully awake and paying attention now.

"And your best friend, who lets you live on her couch so many times that one night you start calling her baby."

_Ohh my God, Liv! _He looked up. His vision cleared. "Honey!" He leaped up and hugged her head, since the rest of her was hooked up to machines. She felt the tears drop off of his face and onto her head. She held his arm and caressed it with her thumb. She never thought he could care this much. That's when she felt his whole body shaking, so she nudged him off of her and pulled him into the hospital bed next to her.

"Look at me. I'm alright. Come here, come here. Listen on the count of three we breathe alright? 1…2…."

"Three." Elliot whispered then took a breath with the woman he would forever protect.

"The nurse said something about an anti-seizure med, Liv, what the hell is going on?"

She ignored that fact that he just snapped at her while she was still in the hospital and replied "Look, I…when I was eleven I kind of…got the shit beat out of me."

Elliot's face turned to anger. "What?" He spat. "Serena? You told us she never ever…"

"I lied, Elliot. Anyways, right afterwards I had a seizure. She was too drunk to do even care. I had like three more before I finally had one at school, so they called a bus, brought me here and put me on the anti-seizure meds. I've been on them ever since."

Silence.

"Shouldn't Cragen have to know about this, don't I? I'm your partner, we're just out chasing somebody some day and you have a seizure what would I have thought?"

"Well, what did you think tonight, El?"

"I thought…that I had never been more scared, and that, we should never ever kiss again so I don't send you into convulsions."

Liv smiled, leaned in and kiss her baby on his cheek. Then his nose, then his lips.

"First of all, I'd say that we we're doing a whole lot more than kissing. And second of all, it won't happen again. I'll go back on the drugs. I thought I didn't need them, but my life just got a thousand times better, and I wouldn't want to screw that up now would I?"

"Can we do that again? 1…2…"

"3" She smiled. "Will you grab a nurse for me, babe?"

"Yeah, why, are you okay?"

Fine I just want to get out of here. Hey, does the team know that I… that this happened?"

"No, but I think that they should, Liv." He kissed her head and left the room.

"And you promise you didn't tell him why I was there?"

"I promise, Olivia. I told Cragen that you had an emergency that kept us out all night and that we'd be in at noon. He said take the whole day unless Munch or Fin gives us a call. Promise."

It was almost 7 now. About the time that they had to be at work. They had all day to play.

Olivia walked over to her best friend and draped and arm on his shoulder. When he looked at her she smiled that magnificent smile that he loved to see. He lifted her into a hug, but knowing what she wanted he said, "Olivia, honey, you at least need to sleep first. Did you listen to the nice doctors? You're not even supposed to go to work for a few days. I swear to you," he released their grip on each other to see her face, "Olivia Benson, I swear to you that we will do this, and soon. Trust me babe I want you so bad. But you have to sleep first." He expected her to wander off to her bedroom, pissed off and rejected, but she just smiled at him.

"What?" He said with a smile, and a bit of a chuckle.

"That's how I know you're it. You want to know how many men have put me or my safety, or even my sanity before anything? None. You're stuck with me now, Stabler. Partner, best friend…"

"Fiancé," Came from the man with a smug look on his face. "Kidding, Liv. Juuust kidding. Come on, let's go close our eyes."

She obliged, only so she could dream about what would become of their afternoon.

Elliot let her sleep a little while longer. They had gotten no calls from the team, or anyone else. Not that there was anyone in particular who would call either one of them.

He opened the fridge door and reached for the eggs. Half of them were cracked and in a horrible oozy mess. _Liv. You really don't know anything about cooking or food, do you? Let's see, maybe pancakes, nope, no eggs. I'm starting to realize it's really hard to make breakfast without eggs. She's got frozen waffles and a Double Dutch ice cream in her freezer. That's it? Cereal it is. _He changed his mind when he saw the date on her milk. About three weeks expired.

He heard Olivia padding out of the bedroom, her hair a mess, her pajamas twisted up, and her make up rubbed everywhere. _Deliriously, gorgeously, magnificently beautiful._

"I never believed you when you said you lived on delivery."

"I don't cook. I don't shop. I don't lie."

"Well are you hungry? We could have your freezer-burned waffles. I was going to make us a nice breakfast that we could sit over and tell all of our dreams and secrets and fantasies to each other."

Olivia just smiled, still groggy. Without a word she retraced her steps back into her room, with Elliot following closely behind. She lay down, facing the center of the small bed. Elliot straightened up his side before slipping into it.

"I'm scared." The words escaped from her mouth without permission.

"Me too."

"You ready?" She asked.

"Are you?"

"Absolutely."

By this time their hands were interlocked but they let go and explored each other's bodies. Their kisses were soft and their breathing chaotic. Elliot slid his hands down and up back through her shirt. He let his hands warm her as he felt her chills. Slowly he pulled up the old shirt of his that she was wearing, terrified of not being able to turn back. They split apart to discard her clothing but found each other again like magnets. Olivia slid a hand into his sweat pants. She wanted to feel around but instead she just tugged them as far down as she could until Elliot kicked them off. Elliot cupped his right hand around her left breast, tracing circles with his finger. Olivia pushed him away long enough to throw out his shirt she had been working to get off of him. He kept trailing around her nipple, and also drew his left hand to meet her hips. He yanked down her black sweats earning a groan from his loved one. When they found themselves both completely nude Elliot guided Olivia's leg up across him. Olivia had her hand massaging his dick. She was scared alone by its size. Elliot, still engrossed in her breast was already dizzy and knew he needed her.

Reading his moans and yelps, she guided him to her core, pulled away from the kiss, locked her eyes with his, and pushed down on him.

"OLIVIA."

Her head was bent all the way down, her nails dug into his skin, and she clenched her teeth. It hurt so bad but she didn't stop leading him into her.

"Liv. Ohh my god. Wait Liv, stop. Stop." He stopped both of them from moving another centimeter when he saw her tense body. She looked up at him, tears and rejection in her eyes.

"It doesn't hurt, keep going. Please, Elliot." Then she whispered, not wanting Elliot to hear, "I'm not letting you down."

He heard. He heard and his heart broke. How could she ever let him down? She was perfect. They remained still until Elliot thought of what to do.

"Babe, look at me. Breathe with me, relax, 1…2…3!"

As they breathed they scootched in closer, their chests tied together, their arms still pulling each other closer.

Olivia just whimpered a "Please." Elliot nodded back, knowing, hoping he knew what she wanted.

He pushed the rest of his way in her and he could feel her relax. She tossed her head back, showing it didn't hurt anymore, and raked her nails along his chest, bringing him that much closer to his climax. She scraped her hands over every inch of her body, but she still never made a noise.

"Liv, honey, let go. Say my name. Please?" He grunted, inbetween kisses and thrusts.

She just looked at him like he was crazy. He leaned his head down and took her nipple inbetween his teeth and rolled it around as it grew and grew.

"Ohh God Elliot!"

He smiled but he didn't stop. He ran his tongue across her bead to see what else she could scream. But at the same time, he had to keep suppressing urge to let go himself and cum. He'd wait for her no matter how long it took.

"El. El. El. El. El." Was all she could get to stumble out of her mouth.

He ran his hand down to her mound and found her clit. He exposed it and rubbed it in slow circles, but then sped up when he felt her walls throbbing.

Both knowing that they were waiting for each other, she looked at him and nodded. She stopped biting her lip to scream "NOW!"

They froze. They tensed. They clenched. And finally, they let go, relaxed, breathing and then they realized that they were both crying.

"I forgot to tell you," Elliot spoke, "First, you have the most beautiful soul I've ever seen, and second," he kissed her nose, "I love you more than the stars and the moon and the sun."

"I love you, you cheeseball."

They lay, limbs tangled together, until they both fell asleep. And they would sleep until evening, and do it all over again.


End file.
